Bianca Phillips's Blog, page 7

More Vegan Treasures of India Eats!

I've been steadily working my way through Anusha Moorthy Santosh's new Vegan Treasures of India cookbook. I'm loving how each recipe is from a different region of India, and the recipes are more varied than what you'd find on a typical Indian restaurant menu in the U.S.

One of my favorite dishes so far has been the Light Lemon Sevai with Coconut Chutney. This is made with broken rice vermicelli noodles, which are seasoned with a mustard seed tadka with curry leaves and hing. I'm sort of addicted to that hing flavor (aka asafoetida). 

Here's the Coconut Chutney that's on that dish. It's made with frozen coconut, chiles, curry leaves, and spices. I could eat this with a spoon on its own.

The chutney also made a great topping for these Crispy Adai — lentil flour pancakes. For these, you soak white rice and several types of dal and then blend it all with spices in a high-speed blender. Then you cook it like pancakes. I love a good dal-based batter; it reminded me of dosa but without all the fermentation.

And last night, I made the Earthy Beet Poriyal with the Soothing Thayir Sadam. The poriyal was a beet and chickpea stir-fry seasoned with curry leaves, mustard seed, and coconut. And the thayir sadam is Indian yogurt rice. The cozy, savory rice pudding is made with white rice, unsweetened yogurt (I used my homemade version), plant milk, vegan butter, and a spicy tadka oil. I could eat this stuff ALL DAY.

The Best Nachos and Swedish Plant Balls!

Alright, Memphis (or anyone who may be visiting Memphis at some point), you've got to try these BBQ Fajitas Nachos at Arnold's Smokehouse. This new-ish BBQ spot has a full vegan menu and a full meat menu, so they've got something for everyone. And these nachos blew me away. 

They're topped with a tangy, charred BBQ jackfruit that far surpasses any jackfruit I've ever had. I'm not the biggest jackfruit fan, but they do it exceptionally well. I also prefer my nachos with melted shreds over a cheesy sauce because the chips stay crispier. And they have that. But the real highlight are the chips themselves. They're deep-fried, so they're extra, extra crispy, and they've got the best seasoning on them. I would highly recommend these to anyone! The leftovers heated up beautifully in the air fryer, by the way. It's enough food for two to three people, so unless you're sharing or famished, you'll be bringing some home.

Another dish I've been loving lately are IKEA's new Plant Malls made into Swedish Meatballs with Lignonberry Jam, Mashed Potatoes, and Kale. I bought the balls and jam on my last trip to IKEA, and I've finally had a chance to cook them. For the Swedish meatball sauce, I used the sauce portion of this recipe. It had a coconut milk base, seasoned and thickened with cornstarch.

Breakfast Burger, Taco Tuesday, and Ratatouille

On Saturday, I ran the Stanky Creek 25K, my fifth time doing that race and my third with the 25K distance there (I did the 50K one year and a 13.1 in the early days of the race when it had more distance options). I PR'd my Stanky 25K course record, despite the heat. And then after a shower and a protein smoothie, I went to a Memphis hash run and did another 4.5 miles (with beer!). So, at the end of the day, I put in a little over 20 miles. And I was hungry!

Lucky me, Imagine Vegan Cafe posted this Breakfast Burger special on their Instagram that morning, so I knew exactly what to grab for dinner. This was a Beyond patty, vegan cheese, veggie bacon, sriracha mayo, and a Yo Egg vegan fried egg! It was my first time trying Yo Eggs, and they were so amazing. I love the running yolk that oozed out everywhere when I bit into the burger.

On the Tuesday before the race, the Stanky race director, Peter, and his wife Laura invited me out for Taco Tuesday at Global Cafe. We discussed some Stanky plans for next year, some ways the race is changing. And I had the Black Bean Tacos with free chips and salsa and the best-ever margarita for just $4. I mean, the marg was just $4. It's super-cheap when you order tacos.

And here's another recipe from the Complement website. The Autumn Ratatouille has butternut squash, brussels, carrots, green apple, and tomato, and there's a little unflavored, unsweetened Complement Protein mixed in. It was great with chickpea pasta for a super-protein boost!

Tofu Masala, Tofu Burgers, and More Tofu

Remember that scene in Forrest Gump when he names the many ways you can eat shrimp? Well, the same can be said for tofu. There are three ways in this post! One was this delicious Fiery Tofu Masala dish from the Complement website.

Complement is supplement company associated with No Meat Athlete, and I subscribe to their daily vegan B12/omega-3/DHA pills, daily greens powder, prebiotic powder, and protein powder. I get all their marketing emails and actually read them because it's a company I know and love. Sometimes they include links to recipes on their website, as was the case with this one. You can find the recipe here, but it's a super simple Indian-spiced tofu dish with a coconut-tomato sauce. One thing though: The sauce seemed to see thin to me, so I added a bit of cornstarch to the recipe, and it was perfect.

Speaking of recipes on websites, I subscribed to the Washington Post's Voraciously: Plant-Powered newsletter a while back, and there were so many great recipes! I bookmarked this one for Stir-fried Curry Rice Cakes and finally made it last week. The rice cakes are the chewy Korean-style cakes (not crunchy snack kind!). I love, love, love Korean rice cakes! The recipe didn't call for tofu, but I added some for protein. This also has bok choy, green beans, and red curry paste. You can find that recipe here, but I'd recommend subscribing to the free newsletter. No subscription to WaPo required.

Lulu's Bakery & Cafe offered these Tofu-Mushroom Burgers on special last week. They really nailed the texture! Often, homemade veggie burgers are too soft and squishy, but this was just right. Served on a made-in-house sourdough bun with Lulu's fermented pickles, cashew cheese, and a special sauce.

Here's something that's not tofu. I ordered a Back to the Roots oyster mushroom kit. Look at my harvest! I stir-fried these on their own with a little Maggi seasoning, garlic salt, and avocado oil. That's it. I wanted them to shine on their own. And they did!

Cookbook Review: Vegan Treasures of India

I have a new favorite cookbook, y'all. A couple years ago, pre-pandemic, I was hosting a monthly vegan potluck at Crosstown Arts, and I met a woman named Anusha. She mentioned that she was writing a cookbook, and now that book is finally here! Vegan Treasures of India features 60 homestyle recipes that span the country's regions and cooking styles. 

If you're a fan of Indian food, you probably know that North Indian cooking is quite different from South Indian fare. And then there are regional dishes from West and East India. And Anusha Moorthy Santosh's new book covers them all. I especially love that this book doesn't focus on any one specific region but offers a sort of culinary tour across all on India.

I also love that the recipes call for authentic ingredients that I need to make a trip to the Indian market for. So many Indian cookbooks that are written for an American audience leave out those ingredients — like hing, curry leaves, amchur powder, and all the various dals — to make recipes more accessible. But really, with the internet, anyone can access hard-to-find ingredients. And I'm lucky enough to live in a city with multiple Indian markets. 

The book is divided into dishes to share, weeknight meals, comfort food, meals for one, lunch box faves, one-pot meals, and treats (think drinks and desserts). My favorite thing so far was the Iconic Vada Pav, which is featured on the book's cover. These little besan-coated, fried potato patties are so crispy and satisfying, and the recipe also includes instructions for dry chutney and mint-cilantro chutney for serving. I had some Deep brand jarred dry chutney and some pre-made chutney that I used instead to save time, but one day, I want to try Anusha's recipes for those, too!

I've also got a new favorite breakfast in the Masala Toast. It's like a savory Indian French toast with a besan flour batter filled with chopped tomatoes, onions, garlic, scallions, and ginger. Great with chutney or ketchup!

The Refreshing Masala Lemon Shikanji was just as the name implied — refreshing! This cool drink was made with seltzer, lemon, and lots of spices, including black salt, which gave it a truly unique flavor. I love anything with black salt. Perfect drink on a summer day.

I was also lucky enough to be a tester for this book. Anusha sent me several recipes to try out as she was wrapping up her book project. It's been awhile since I made these, but I still remember how great they were. The Hearty Vegetable Ishtoo was a veggie stew with coconut milk. I loved that the recipe called for frozen mixed veggies because it made for a quick preparation. This will become a weeknight staple for me in the colder months.

The Khajur-Kaju Smoothie was a date and cashew cream smoothie that was so decadent, it felt like a dessert. But it was also totally whole food, plant-based, so it was super healthy. I enjoyed this before a workout one day, and it gave me all the energy I needed. I also tried it with added, unflavored vegan protein powder after a run one day. 

And finally, the Kanda Bhajayi with Special Onion Chutney was a flavor explosion in my mouth. These little deep-fried onion fritters were made with besan flour and thinly sliced red onion, and they're dunked in a chutney made from onions, chili powder, and the frying oil from the fritters. Onion on onion? YES! Just don't smell my breath afterward.

There are so many more things I want to try from Vegan Treasures of India. A few on my list include the Earthy Beet Poriyal (stir-fried beets with chickpeas and coconut), Light Lemon Sevai with Coconut Chutney (rice noodles with lemon juice), Soothing Thayir Sadam (tempered yogurt rice), Soul Warming Thukpa (eastern Indian noodle soup), and the Layered Triangle Paratha (whole wheat layered flatbread). In fact, I think I may try to make everything in the book eventually!

Happy Fall, Y'all!

Fall is not my favorite season. I don't hate it. But I can't help but think that it just means winter is coming. And I do hate winter. But I do love all the fall holidays — my birthday, Halloween/Samhain, Thanksgiving. So there's reason to celebrate! And I did on Friday, the day before Mabon/Autumn Equinox. 

I lit some candles for the new season and enjoyed a Cinnamon Bun from Lulu's with a Diskin Bob's Your Uncle dry English cider from Nashville-based Diskin Brewing. Unfortunately, Memphis doesn't have a cidery. I don't love the sweet, mainstream ciders, like Angry Orchard, but a nice craft, dry cider is a real treat.

For dinner, I made the Moroccan Sweet Potato Stew (with seitan beef), Cumin Rice, and Cumin Yogurt from the Llewelyn's Sabbats Almanac. 

This was so good. It called for beef tips, so I made some homemade seitan tips. Plus, it has sweet potatoes, carrots, and dried apricots (a nice touch!). Another thing I love about fall is hearty soups and stews. I try not to eat a ton of stew during the summer so that I have something to look forward to in the fall. The season is more enjoyable when it comes with special foods. Granted, it's still nearly 90 degrees in Memphis and will probably stay warm through late October. But the mornings are getting a little chilly!

Cuban Brunch, OG Pizza, and Homemade Hot Dogs

A couple weeks back, Paul's nephew Jeff was in town, visiting Memphis from Missouri. We took him out to Wiseacre Brewing for beers and pizza, and I ordered The Slightly, the only vegan pizza on the menu. This is a traditional Pizza Marinara, which is naturally vegan. It has sauce, garlic, olive oil, basil, and Calabrian chilis, and it's really good! I'm normally a vegan cheese kinda gal, but I occasionally enjoy this more authentic pizza.

The next morning, we went to The Liquor Store (which is a restaurant, not a liquor store) for brunch. And I ordered my usual there, the Cuban Platter. It has the best seasoned black beans with rice, sauteed veggies, and plantains. LOVE those plantains!

Here's a recent meal from Black Lodge, a movie rental shop (yes, Memphis still has one!) and event space. They also have a cafe with vegan options, and this was my first time ordering the Lisa Simpson (two tofu hot dogs served in white buns with sauteed carrots, fried onions, barbecue sauce, and avocado). Is this stoner food? Absolutely! But it's good. The "dogs" are just seasoned slabs of tofu, so it felt pretty healthy except for all the white bread. 

And here's something I made at home: Whatever Grain Porridge from Bad Manners: Brave New Meal. This is a breakfast bowl made from oatmeal, millet, and quinoa, and the recipe suggests serving it with maple syrup, fruit, and nuts. But I prefer savory porridge, so I added nooch, olive oil, and tofu eggs. 

Purple Carrot Fun!

My friend Melissa recently moved from Memphis to Florida, and she didn't get her address changed on her Purple Carrot subscription in time. So last week, a box was delivered to her old house, and she told me I could have it. So I drove by her empty house and stole it off the porch! I've never subscribed to a meal delivery service, so this was fun.

Here's a peek inside the box.

The first thing I tried was the Spicy Southwest Mac. This had cavatappi pasta, vegan shreds, Miyoko butter, onion, roasted red peppers, and pickled jalepenos with a pepita-nooch topping. This was SO good. I always forget how much I love cavatappi pasta, and the creamy, cheesy roux was perfect.

A couple complaints: The onion was rotten (luckily, I had plenty in the pantry), and the garlic was missing. Now, I'm not really complaining because it was free, but before I realized these two flaws, I thought I might consider subscribing. But considering the cost, those two things would be dealbreakers. And there was another big flaw, which I'll get to later. 

I served the pasta with charred broccoli and some Morningstar Farms Pringles Chick'n Fries.

Next up, I tried the Charred Corn Salad. I rarely deviate from the traditional green salad with whatever veggies I have on-hand. But I really loved the intentionality of these ingredients: charred corn and zucchini, shallot vinaigrette, avocado, cashews, dried chiles, and vegan tzatziki. A great salad!

But the mixed greens that came with the box went bad by the second day they were in the fridge. So I went out and bought fresh mixed greens at the grocery store. Another strike against me ever subscribing.

Finally, I made the Black Pepper Tofu dish a couple nights ago. And this was perfect. Spicy, cornstarch-coated tofu with scallions and celery, served over brown rice with a side of sauteed gai lan. No complaints here at all, and the ingredients stayed fresh. I especially loved the Hodo extra-firm tofu that came in the box. No pressing needed!

Overall, the meals were fantastic. And I'm glad the box came with a recipe book with extra recipes because I'm convinced the chefs who develop Purple Carrot know what they're doing. The only complaint was the freshness of the produce. If I was someone who hated grocery shopping and meal planning, I might still subscribe, even despite the produce issues. But I really love doing those things, so I probably won't be. But this was still so much fun!

Vada, Dosa, Idli, and Samosa Burgers

I love Indian food, perhaps more than any other international cuisine. And a week or so ago, I found myself way out east near Kirby and Quince by Mayuri. It's one of the few local Indian restaurants that serves both North and South Indian food. Most of the Indian places in Midtown, where I live, offer North Indian food, which isn't my fave. I love all the South Indian stuff, like dosa, idli, and vada. And wouldn't you know it? Mayuri has a combo — called the Mayuri Combo — with all those things! So I ordered it!

It came with one vada (the savory fried lentil doughnut), one idli (the steamed rice and lentil cake), sambar (vegetable soup), and a giant masala dosa stuffed with seasoned potatoes. A perfect lunch!

Speaking of Indian food, I recently made the Samosa Burgers from the No Meat Athlete Cookbook. These are samosa filling without the deep-fried shell. And yes, the shell is the best part, but I certainly felt less weighed down after eating the burger minus the fried part. It was great topped with some jarred cilantro-mint chutney. And on the side, I made some Curried Red Lentils with coconut milk and a bit of papad for dipping. 

Labor Day Burger, Sticky Tofu, and Corncakes

Labor Day is supposedly the end of grilling season, but it stays warm here in Memphis through mid-November, so last Monday certainly wasn't our last day to grill. But still yet, we grilled! I made some Everything Legendary Vegan Cheeseburgers (the cheese is inside the patty!), but I still topped it with a Tofutti slice. On the side we had grilled corn and mushrooms.

A friend from the Plant-Based Morning Show Discord group recently sent me her copy of Bad Manners: Brave New Meal. I love those cookbooks with all the cussing. They're fun! The first thing I've made from the book was the Sweet-Sticky Tofu, which has cornstarch-coated tofu tossed with a tangy-sweet sauce. It was lovely. I always forget how much I love cornstarch on fried tofu. 

And finally, here's a fun Costa Rican breakfast from The Blue Zones Kitchen. I made these Sweet Corncakes by blending corn with a little sugar and salt. That was supposed to be it, but the batter didn't cook up for me. So I stirred in a little whole wheat flour, and that was perfect. Like corn pancakes! They made for a nice brunch with black beans and avocado.